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E. REECE.

DIMMER FOR HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-2.1918.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

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EARLJ. REEOE, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'lO ONLEE HEADLIGHT CONTROLLER COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION.

Application filed February 2, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL J. Rnnon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dimmers for Headlights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to illumination, and

more particularly to a dimmer or light controlling device for automobile headlights. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a simple, practicable, inexpensive, and durable device to prevent the glare from powerful headlights; it is a further object of the present invention to provide a dimmer whereby the range of projection and the height of the beam of light from the headlight can be readily de termined; to concentrate the rays of light, and to distribute the same laterally, freely, and to cause the uniform direction of the rays of light ahead of the source, and to provide a device which will provide for the substantial dimming or cutting out of the rays of light with relation to an observer at a predetermined point in -advance of and above the axis of the light, and to give a maximum amount of lighting efliciency directed downwardly toward the roadway ahead of the vehicle for the desired distance, and at the same time effectively screen the light under given conditions. It is another object of the invention to provide a dimmer which can readily be attached to the interior of the headlight without requiring any alteration or changes in the construction of the headlight, and which can be applied and removed without the use of extraneous tools; and further to provide a device of this type which will eliminate the use of special construction of lenses, or the application to the exterior of the headlight of any dimming means, and it is therefore a particular pur pose or object to provide a dimmer which can be readily mounted within the casing of the headlight and mounted therein in such manner asto overcome vibration of the device, and which will automatically maintain itself in proper position.

With these and other objects in view as will be readily manifest to those skilled in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Serial No. 215,158.

the art, the invention consists of the construction, the combination, and in details and elements, and the organization thereof, as more particularly set forth in the following specification relative to the embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front view of the dimmer detached from the headlight.

2 is a vertical sectional view of a headlight showing the dimmer applied thereto and in elevation.

The dimmer in the illustrated embodiment comprises an annulus or ring 2, the diameter and dimensions of which will be determined obviously'by the size of the headlight to which it is to be attached, and for the pur pose of enabling the use of a given dimmer upon the headlights of a reasonable range of sizes, the ring is shown as provided at suitable points with rearwardly extending springs 8, having their end portions t designed to resiliently engage the interior surface of the casing 5 of the headlight, so that when the dimmer has been adjusted within the headlight, the springs not only resiliently support it in position, but also eliminate relative vibration and act to thrust the dimmer forwardly against the lens 6 of the headlight, which is removably held to the casing 5 by a bezel or other suitable fastening device 7.

For the purpose of controlling the elevation or height of beam projecting forwardly from the reflector and lamp 8 within the headlight, the dimmer comprises a plurality of slats or louvers, 1 to I l inclusive, the front edges of the series of louver-s being disposed in a common plane and parallel to each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the front edges of the louvers being adapted to rest against the inside surface of the lens 6 of the headlight. For the purpose of controlling the beam of light issuing from the headlight, the louvers 1, 2, etc., which are shown as con structed of flat or sheet material, which preferably is opaque, but obviously may be translucent, are each inclined relatively to the other, and also inclined forwardly and downwardly with relation to the axis a of the headlight, the relative angleof incidence of each of the louvers 1 2*, etc., increasing radually in order from the lowermost louver 1 F upwardly to the uppermost louver 1 which has, therefore, the greatest angle of incidence with relation to the axis of the headlight, with the result, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, that those of the louvers below the axis of the headlight permit the greatest number of horizontal rays to pass forwardly from the headlight, while the angle of the louvers above the axis of the headlight is such as to gradually upwardly diminish the quantity of rays passing horizontally forwardly from the source of light and reflector. In this manner, by the relative angle of each of the louvers with respect to the axis of the headlight, the length of the beam projecting forwardly can be determined so as to be caused to strike the ground at a given point in advanceof the source of light simply by the determination of the angle of the louvers, and also this can be controlled by the relative widths of each of the louvers 1 2 ,'etc. As shown in the drawings, those of the louvers closest to the axis a of the headlight are ofmaximum width, the width of the louvers above and below the innermost elements decreasing successively upwardly and downwardly from the horizontal plane of the axis, so that when observed from a given point in front of the lamp and above the axis of the beam of light, the several louvers form a substantially total blind or dimmer obliteratmg the beam of light from the lamp, and thus preventing the glare of the lamp fronrblinding the observer when in a given distance and elevation with respect to the headlight. This effect is readily understood by refer ence to the angular lines I), 0, 03, etc., wh ch pass through respective planes intersecting the front and rear edges of adjacent pans of the louvers, from which it will be seen that stand above a given point of elevation the louvers act as complete blinds, shutting out the projected beam, and yet the deslred and maximum quantity vof light can be cast forwardly and directed downwardly to the desired angle and point ahead of the source of light by the angularly disposed louvers, which thereby collect and condense the rays of light directed straight forwardly from thehead-light, and also permit the passage angularl y or laterally of rays from the source of light to secure the desired illumination laterally with respect to the axis of the headlight. V r

The louvers may be cpt away or notched as at 10 to provide for the .reception of the electric light or lights 8 which may be fmou-nted within the headlight.

From the bove it will be seen that I have provided a simple}, practicable, and substantial dimmer which may be readily mounted within a headlight, and which will automatically adjust itself against the back of the lens by the reaction of the spring arms 3, which not only support the device within the headlight, but cause it to be held firmly in position in headlights of various diameters, and thereby permit the use of a dimmer of given size upon any of a suitable range of sizes of headlights. The device can be readily applied by the simple removal of the front lens, permitting the insertion of the dimmer within the lamp casing, and this can be accomplished without the use of any tools and without necessitating the alteration or change of construction or attachment thereto of any extraneous devices for securing the dimmer in place.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A light controlling device for searchlights, headlights and the like comprising a mounting with a series of fixed plane louvers having their front edges arranged in a common plane and parallel to each other, the rear edges of the louvers lying in planes converging substantially to a common intersection line, said louvers being slightly angular to each other, whereby a part of the light beam directly passes through the controller and part of it intercepted and deflected and converged downwardly from the axis of the light.

2. A light controlling device for searchlights, headlights and the like, comprising a mounting with a series of fixed plane louvers having their front edges arranged in a common plane and parallel to each other, the rear edges of the louvers lying in planes converging substantially to a common intersection line, said louvers being slightly angular to each other, whereby a part of the light beam directly passes through the controller a part of it intercepted and deflected and converged downwardly from the axis of the light, the louvers of least angularity with respect to the axis of the light being at one side of the mounting and the others progressively' increasing to the opposite side.

3. A dimmer adapted for adjustment within a headlight and comprising a ring with louvers and resilient means connected to said ring for engaging the casing and adapted to automatically support the dimmer in relation to and against the lens of the headlight.

4. A dimmer adapted for adjustment within a headlight and rearwardly extending spring arms engaging the casing and adapted to support the dimmer in given position in headlights of various sizes.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EARL J. REECE. 

